NYC Apartment Application: Documents to Have Ready

The Standard Set

• Government photo ID: a driver’s license, state ID or passport.
• Proof of income: an offer letter on company letterhead with your salary and start date, or your two or three most recent pay stubs.
• Bank statements: usually the last two months, to show the first month and deposit are there.
• Tax return: the first two pages of last year’s federal return, or your W-2, if you filed.
• A reference: a previous landlord’s contact details, or a letter from one. If you have never rented, say so and offer an employer or school contact.
• The application form itself, which asks for your Social Security number so the landlord can pull a credit report.

Landlords differ. Ask the agent for the exact list when you book the viewing, so nothing is missing on the day.

If You Are a Student

Most students do not earn 40 times the rent, so the application rests on a guarantor, someone who promises to pay if you cannot. Bring proof of enrollment, such as an acceptance or enrollment letter, and any financial aid or scholarship letter that shows how living costs are covered.

Everything on the standard list is then needed from your guarantor too.

• The 40x Rent Rule and Guarantors
• Sublets for Students

If You Are Coming from Another Country

Without a Social Security number or a US credit history, the usual screen does not work, so landlords look for other proof. Expect to show your passport and visa, your school’s or employer’s letter (for students, the I-20 or equivalent form your school issued), and bank statements showing you can pay.

Many landlords will then ask for a US-based guarantor or a guarantor service, a company that acts as guarantor for a fee. Ask which they accept before you apply. A landlord cannot ask for several months of rent or a larger deposit in advance instead: New York caps the deposit plus advance rent at one month.

Guarantor Paperwork

• The guarantor’s photo ID.
• Their proof of income: pay stubs or an employer letter, and usually their last one or two tax returns.
• Their bank statements.
• A signed guaranty form from the landlord. Some landlords want it notarized, so leave time if your guarantor lives far away.

The Application Fee Is Capped at $20

Under New York Real Property Law 238-a, a landlord cannot charge a fee just to process or accept an application. The one fee allowed before a lease is the cost of a credit and screening report, and it is limited to the actual cost or $20, whichever is less.

The landlord can only collect it if you are given a copy of the report and the receipt or invoice from the company that ran it. If you hand over your own report from the past 30 days, the fee has to be waived.

The law has an exception for co-op buildings when the applicant would become a shareholder. If someone asks you for a larger "application", "processing" or "hold" fee on a normal rental, ask them to show you where it is allowed.

• NYC Broker Fees and the FARE Act

Send It Well

1. Scan or export each document as a PDF with a clear file name, such as "Lastname offer letter".
2. Black out all but the last four digits of account numbers on bank statements.
3. Send everything in one email, the same day you see the apartment.
4. Only send documents after you have seen the place and confirmed who the landlord or licensed agent is. An application is exactly what an identity thief wants.

• How to Avoid Rental and Sublet Scams